A new approach: Using design to humanise technological objects

A new approach: Using design to humanise technological objects

London – At the London Design Festival Network Evening last week, held at The Future Laboratory’s Elder Street office, LS:N Global senior journalist Rowland Manthorpe spoke to Jason Holley, director at Universal Design Studio, about its work with the Science Museum’s newest permanent gallery.

Article/16458 #1

London – At the London Design Festival Network Evening last week, held at The Future Laboratory’s Elder Street office, LS:N Global senior journalist Rowland Manthorpe spoke to Jason Holley, director at Universal Design Studio, about its work with the Science Museum’s newest permanent gallery.

The gallery – Information Age: Six Networks That Changed Our World – is the largest new gallery commissioned by the museum for 20 years. Its focus is on the importance of information technology, and how it as altered the landscape and ourselves. Holley spoke about the challenge in bringing interest and an emotive element to many technological objects on display. ‘The beauty of the objects is in what they do,’ he said. ‘How do you give these objects a voice?’

Universal Design Studio found solutions by unearthing the human stories behind the technology and creating an interactive gallery with an architecture that has an ‘intense physicality’ to counter the intangible nature of information technology. To find out more, watch the video above.

LS:N Global will be exploring the challenges of making technology emotive in our forthcoming macrotrend, Awakening Tech. For more, watch our video preview and buy tickets for our Autumn/Winter 2014 Trend Briefing on The Future Laboratory’s Eventbrite page.

Discover More News
MAD//Fest 2025: Delayed adulthood, algorithmic segregation and Gen Z hippies

News

MAD//Fest 2025: Delayed adulthood, algorithmic segregation and Gen Z hippies

MAD//Fest returned to Shoreditch on 1 July 2025, with this year’s theme Be Less Boring challenging brands to rethink how to engage with new audiences.
Global Events : Advertising & Marketing : Gen Z
Promo - Together Group report and microsite

News

Promo - Together Group report and microsite

xxx
Together Group
Insight - mystery at the grooms': hermès brings interactive installation to NYC (copy)

News

Insight - mystery at the grooms': hermès brings interactive installation to NYC (copy)

xxx
Interactive Installation
Habitat and Pinterest unveil immersive campaign putting emotion into home design

News

Habitat and Pinterest unveil immersive campaign putting emotion into home design

Habitat has teamed up with Pinterest for an immersive storytelling campaign that repositions homeware as a tool for emotional re-invention and shop...
Retail : Design : Technology
Stat: Young adults are redefining romantic relationships on their terms

News

Stat: Young adults are redefining romantic relationships on their terms

As romantic norms fragment, 20% of people are now unknowingly practising ‘relationship anarchy’, according to the latest State of Dating repor...
Statistic : Stat : Dating
AI billboard visualises real-time sun damage in UV awareness campaign

News

AI billboard visualises real-time sun damage in UV awareness campaign

A new study by the British Skin Foundation reveals that 38% of Britons have already been sunburnt in 2025 – with Gen Z (35%) and Millennials (30%) ...
Advertising : Health And Wellness : Beauty
Wimbledon elevates fan engagement with AI-powered digital experiences

News

Wimbledon elevates fan engagement with AI-powered digital experiences

The All England Lawn Tennis Club and IBM have unveiled an AI-powered experience designed to deepen audience engagement and enhance match under...
Wimbledon : Sports : Entertainment
Stat: Gen Alpha lead the charge in back-to-school shopping

News

Stat: Gen Alpha lead the charge in back-to-school shopping

Children and teenagers are now the primary decision-makers in back-to-school shopping, according to a new global study by SuperAwesome.
Retail : Gen Alpha : Statistic
The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

News

The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

The Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion has launched Reskinning Reality, the UK’s first 3D garment volumetric capture service ai...
Fashion : Technology : Virtual Fashion
Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

News

Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

Premium beauty brand Elemis is stepping further into the world of Formula 1 with the launch of four exclusive skincare collections in partnership w...
Aston Martin : Elemis : Formula 1
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN